


Legends

by jynx



Series: The Sea Siren [5]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M, Mermaid Kíli, Mythology - Freeform, sea lore, writer making shit up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:17:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6659626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jynx/pseuds/jynx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fili learns some mer lore</p>
            </blockquote>





	Legends

**Author's Note:**

> SpringFRE prompt: Sand dollar

Fili was relaxing on the beach, shirt off, boots off, eye closed against the harsh sun. Many of his fellow pirates were enjoying the warm water and swimming. Kili, loving the home field advantage, was playing tag with them.

Fili didn’t notice it, having apparently fallen asleep, but he awoke in the remains of several sand dollars. They’d been snapped open and strewn around him while their innards were left out on his stomach. Fili, frowning, picked up one of the spiky things.

“They’re doves,” Thorin rumbled from next to him. He was smoking on his ever present pipe. “Do you know the legends?"

“I know our legends,” Fili said, sitting up. He brushed the “doves” aside and shuddered slightly at the sheer number of sand dollars that had been sacrificed. Creepy things with little feet. “I don’t know his."

“Who do you think first told us about the sand dollars?"

“These things are low tide creatures, Uncle,” Fili said. “Mers tend to be deep water dwellers."

Thorin gestured with his pipe off to Kili, frolicking in the water with the others. “That doesn’t look like deep water to me."

Fili picked up one of the “doves” and twirled a wing. “These stand for peace,” he said.

“And protection. Love."

Fili shrugged. “Does it matter?"

Thorin rolled his eyes, reaching out to thunk the bowl of his pipe against the crown of Fili’s head. “Ask your mate his legends. You might learn something."

It wasn’t until later, after Kili had turned his tail into legs, that Fili had a chance to ask. They curled up in the bed—Kili was no less fascinated with it than he had been the first fifty times—and Fili stroked Kili’s hair. One of the women must have gotten their hands on him at some point because his hair was free of tangles and seaweed. Instead there were shells and beads, simple things, and braids that held meaning for Fili’s people.

He couldn’t stop touching them.

“You left me shell doves,” Fili said softly. “Why?"

“Birds,” Kili said, agreeing. “White birds.” He was silent and then twisted about, hands going into Fili’s hair. “You listen?"

“I’ll listen."

“Once there was many mer,” Kili said. “All over. Like seals, only more. On land and in water. Not many people but still people. Good people. Bad people. Magic people. They meddle. One wanted all he saw. Did not like mer."

“No?"

“No,” Kili said, serious and grave. “White wizard with white birds at command. Bad man chased us with his white birds, drove us into the seas. Some stayed, some fought, some forgot. Birds, they chase and chase and we swim and swim."

Fili kissed Kili’s forehead. The mer hummed softly, eyes closing.

“The birds, they flew too far. Turn to stone and drop into sea. Sand dwellers, they gobbled up stone birds. Now you break they and you free the birds. Birds not bad, only bad man. Birds are free, like mer are free. Sky is sea and sea is sky."

“I’m your sky?"

“I’m your sea."

Fili tugged Kili closer to him, nuzzling into his soft hair. “Love you."

“Love too,” Kili said. “Even if forgotten your tail."

Fili grinned. “Are all pirates just mer who can’t turn?"

Kili tapped Fili’s nose. “How know?” He gave him that wolfish smile, all sharp teeth, before cuddling into his side.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Merfolk Legend](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13205877) by [HollowHaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HollowHaven/pseuds/HollowHaven)




End file.
